


The Uchiha's Shepherds

by TegamiBachi25



Series: Path to Redemption [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening, Naruto
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Bonds, Cameos, Canon Universe, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, Family Bonding, Family Issues, Friendship, Hatred, Hope vs. Despair, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mentor Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto is Just Naruto, Some Humor, Survival Training, Time Travel, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Uchiha Sasuke Has Issues, Uchiha Sasuke Redemption, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:08:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21982696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TegamiBachi25/pseuds/TegamiBachi25
Summary: A country wrought and destroyed by an entity of ancient times. Children of an army trying to survive against the entity, moving daily in fear, not knowing whether they will live today, die today, or see a friend die today or tomorrow. An avenger traveling to seek redemption for his sins discovers the children, vowing to protect and train them. This is the first in the tales of Sasuke Uchiha's travels after the Fourth Ninja War, written in Awakening
Relationships: Azur | Inigo & Marc | Morgan, Lucina & Marc | Morgan, Marc | Morgan & Marc | Morgan, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: Path to Redemption [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1585588
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, I posted this on Fanfic.Net. Then I decided why not here too?
> 
> Timeline placement of this story will be for Naruto and FE Awakening is straight after the Fourth War and in the future timeline of the Shepherds.

Eyes that have seen so much during the course of their lifetime. Eyes that have seen friends and enemies alike. Eyes that have been used to destroy, crush, and annihilate. Eyes that have seen suffering, caused suffering, and known suffering. It was all of this, and more.

Those were the eyes of a man. Who belonged to a man. A man who was once, a long time ago, an angry boy with an aspiration-a dream-to kill his older brother. That boy was a ninja in training. In a team, he was paired with a blonde sky eyed boy who was an idiot, was the worst student in their ninja training academy, or rather, school. It was both an insult and a fact. But that boy was also his best friend; who he considered a brother. Though he would never admit it during that time, because he was too into his own pride, his arrogance. His faults prevented him from ever communicating amiably back then in his lifetime, and therefore, they were rivals. Yet they were also friends. The boy never knew his parents, not until late into a war cooked up by a psychopath ancestor of his clan that wanted to destroy the entire world. The man who was once a boy was friends with the blonde boy, because both of them did not have a family. The blonde: loud, boisterous, and cheerful. And himself: cold, sullen, and quiet. They both became strong, training and completing missions with each other. And they grew closer; the blonde claimed they had a bond.

And he was also paired with a pink haired, green eyed girl who he thought was annoying and talentless, who would never amount to anything. The academy that she was in his class. She got the best grades; was a bookworm. She had an affinity in Genjutsu, though during that time he didn't know whether that merited anything or amounted to. He didn't know until later that she trained under a legendary ninja, one of the three Sannin growing in beauty and strength. He had no doubt that a punch from her could completely knock any lesser foe out cold or crack and break a few ribs from him. But she was once annoying and a nuisance, who kept chasing after him, even as he tried to kill her once, even as he pushed her away, even as she proclaimed that she loved him.

He didn't want them as his team from the beginning. He didn't want a team. Yet despite his objections, they were never voiced. He didn't want to voice them. Their teacher-also affectionately called Sensei-was a grey haired man. His headband was pulled down from one side, slanted, to cover his left eye, which would later be revealed to have his clan's famous ocular and one of the three legendary ocular eyes. His other eye wasn't covered, and what from the blonde idiot said, looked like a cyclops. Their teacher also had a notorious reputation to be late; as they discovered later, as when he arrived hours later, his teammates would scream that he was late. Their teacher would reply with a blatant lie ranging from many topics; he remembered the first one being a black cat crossed his path, a sign of bad luck, which meant he had no other option but to take a long way, which led to even more enraged cries from the two, denouncing him as a liar. He was also annoyed; their teacher was a lazy man who couldn't bother to try and come on time. Yet he didn't scream. He was quiet, and only voiced his own complaints of their teacher in his head. He only shot narrowed eyed glares at their teacher.

They were all a team. He, the blonde boy, the pink haired girl, and their teacher. They were called Team 7 by their teacher in the academy. They went on many missions. He remembered one being when they escorted and protected an actress of status from a movie with his teammates over a white covered land of snow. Mountains of white snow adorned the land; a blank slate of nothing and heaps of white nothing covering the landscape and a scream of action from the producers. The Land of Snow, it was called. The mission was not their first, but it was something the man could recall over the many other they completed from the village. It was indeed memorable.

That was a time where he enjoyed and had fun with his team. The team that became a second family to him. The blonde boy: his best friend, and a brother. The pink haired girl: an annoying girl that he felt was like a little sister that kept pestering him. And their teacher, who kept arriving late. Though for all that he felt towards them, he would never admit it.

His first was killed by his brother; his mother and father lying and soaking in a pool of their own blood, piled onto each other like chunks of peat, and he hated his brother. He was not family. He did not consider the murderer of his clan, his brother, to be his blood. That man lost any right to bear his resemblance or affiliation to him. So he had no family. Except for his team.

The brother who murdered his family and kin, his kin in their clan, leaving him the only sole survivor. He was a boy who left his home in order to obtain his goal of killing his brother. So he did. One evening, he packed up many essential items in week's worth and began to make a trek out the village. With promised power, he left his home, breaking the bond of his team in order to reach the power he desired. The blonde boy chased after him in order to bring him back, failing entirely. They fought, ending with the blonde knocked out cold. The man who was a boy left his former friend there, leaving him unconscious and bloody and beaten.

Years later, a young man who was much stronger, training under another of the Sannin; the man who promised him power so tempting. The Sannin was a traitor to the home village he was in, but so was he, for he had left his home in order to gain power. He became a traitor of his home in order to kill his brother because his brother was pure evil incarnate. He murdered children, elderly, and innocent people. At the time, he believed that his brother was pure evil; he needed to be stopped, his reign of terror and horrible deeds all would be brought to justice by his blade and only his blade, for he had wielded a sword. A sword of the Sannin he trained under.

Even then, he was never strong enough. He tamed the lightning element; it was his specialty along with the blaze of the fire element, and even then it wasn't enough. He molded his signature techniques into various and unique shapes and ways. Even with all his training, he knew he would still not beat his brother the way he was now, so he needed backup; allies of various sorts. He had three others; a sharp fanged man with the element of water; his hair the same blue but lighter. He could form his body into the oceans, and it was his own specialty. He also wielded a large sword; a sword of the first enemy the man and his former team fought against years ago. Now that enemy long ago was deceased.

Another man, with his hair of orange, and he was violent. When they first met, the man was a crazed screaming lunatic; he screamed profanity and curses at him. He was a deranged man who could not be calmed down, but he managed to do it. As a result, his other side, the side that held no violence, was a gentle but kind man; a beast tamed. His ability at the time was similar to his own, for the Sannin had placed a mark on him and his ally. Their skin turned into a grey. While the man grew wings, rough jagged appendages that formed out of his back as a result of the Sannin's mark and his hair grew longer, turning into a cobalt blue.. A side effect, and yet he and his ally were victims of a mark the Sannin placed upon them, his ally grew appendages; jagged and rough extensions out of his arm and his violent persona returned anew, ready to crush any enemy under his heel. A powerful ally, indeed. And very loyal.

His last ally was a girl with flaming red hair and glasses on her face. He briefly recalled her in an exam he and his former team had to take to become Chunin, the next rank after Genin long ago. The Chunin exams, it was titled. He remembered that she had the unique ability to heal by feeding people her energy-chakra. By letting those wounded bite her flesh, they were able to regenerate and heal from grievous wounds. In a sense, a medic. He discovered later that she was part of a clan believed to be extinct, sharing the same last name as his former blonde teammate. They had a relation he nor the blonde knew until later.

The man reminisces it over these events; the past of his involvement. He watches the crackling flame he made that smoldered and licked at nothing. Forming under a bundle of twigs and sticks, the flame fluctuated intensely.

Adjusting his gaze, he turns it up to the pitch night sky; his right eye was the same gaze of coal black. His left was something abnormal. It was entirely purple; ripples that formed in a circle, and from the ripples were many miniature tomoe, comma like markings. By standards, the eye would seem fake, but it was not. The power the eye granted him allowed him to perform many feats and abilities.

He stares up at the shimmering stars, the only small distant beacons of light from the void. His two teams from his past forms in his head, and he pushed them aside for the time being.

His home village had granted him his request. Along with the other villages, who he knew still had distrust and wariness over him, because he had become a criminal across the world, catching the attention of the other villages. The result of his treason and crimes was a punishment that remained in prison for life. It would have been his fitting punishment and it would have remained that way.

If not for the blonde boy that was his friend.

The blonde boy pleaded for the case of the man. The blonde boy argued and pleaded for over him over the conferences with their home and the other villages for his trial. At times, the man didn't understand why. Why was the blonde boy doing this?

_Because I'm your friend._

That was the answer the blonde would give if he was currently beside him right now, as they both would be awake, sleep not afflicting them. That was the answer the boy would and always give, as they would lie awake at night, staring at the dark sky affiliated with night.

And yet he didn't understand it. He didn't understand why the blonde would do this for him, would go this far for him.

With his new lack of understanding, did he forget love? Did the meaning of love no longer have any form of way to be discovered to him simply because he lacked it?

No. His pink haired former teammate claimed her love for him, and the blonde claimed that he was his friend. A form of love that came in being friends. He himself had loved. Loved his father, his mother, and his brother before the tragedy. After his brother slaughtered his kin and family, leaving him the only survivor, he believed love was a painful, foolish emotion and nothing good came out of it. Because those you love would eventually betray you in the worst way possible. His brother was an example and product of that. So he cut himself off to others. Yet even as he did, his first team had showed him love, wormed their ways through his heart after the meaning of love became lost to him from that time.

At the time when he was in the academy of the village, he remained distant. Yet the blonde boy, who was obnoxious, cocky, and a nuisance just like the pink haired girl teammate of theirs was pestering him. He shouted his dream to become the leader of their village: the Hokage. He claimed he would surpass all previous leaders. Both in their class and their assigned teams when their teacher asked them to introduce themselves. The boy was a talentless loser, yet even he rose above all expectations and obstacles, becoming a force to be reckoned with. He became so strong that the man was jealous of his blonde friend's strength. They fought alongside and against each other; fulfilling roles of friends and enemies.

He had also known hate.

Hate towards his brother and towards the village he grew up in. And even the entire world at some point.

_Foolish little brother, you aren't even worth killing. Live your entire life hating me and only with hatred. Cling to it running like a_ _**coward** _ _!_

_It's just as you said, brother. I've fostered my hatred for you my entire life up to this very moment for one thing, and one thing only!_

_Uchiha Itachi! Murderer of my clan and my family, prepare to die!_

_They're all laughing! Every single one of them! Laughing… because they don't_ _ **understand**_ _! But I'll change it! I'll change that laughter into nothing but shrieks and wails of_ _ **agony**_ _! I'll make them-the entire village-taste the_ _ **suffering**_ _just as my clan and family had!_

_You understood how he lived, right? To me, he was the true Hokage of the village, fostering and taking in all the hatred of the world, protecting the Leaf village from the shadows. That is the Hokage I'll become. And I'll make a_ _**revolution** _ _!_

He had lived his entire life, hating and wanting to be hated.

A rumble echoed from above. The man blinks his gaze up at the skies above. Clouds; faded and heavy rumbled. Thick wispy things of climate formed into one blanket and then the night sky above was covered in the rumbling climate. Drops of water came down to the landscape below, invading and cascading.

It was beginning to rain. He should turn in for the night. He creeps inside the tent he built upon hours earlier; the small shelter of his, leaving the fire in its spot. The fire made by him would be put out by the oncoming rain. No need to extinguish it himself.

* * *

The morning of the next day came in chirping from the birds and crows outside. The man blinks away sleep and fatigue from his eyes. Pushing the small blanket off of him, he creeps out of his small abode, looking up at the sky above. The clear cerulean void greets his eyes, and there are still droplets of rain from the day before. He deduced it stopped raining at some point in the night while he was asleep. From the tree's stalky limbs were the birds to wake and signal him up in the morning.

He returns briefly to retrieve his cloak that sat aside from his small bed, putting it on. The sword in its sheath from the Sannin who trained him sat from the other side of his bed. Years of familiarity with the weapon of his didn't dissuade him in or ever forgo using it. It was both helpful in defending himself and, his mood darkened in guilt, regret, and anger, in killing. He slaughtered many with the blade of his. He even threatened his best friend with it, attempting to stab him through if not for the pale skinned boy he remembered, grabbing his wrist tightly, preventing him from skewering his former friend. He remembers commenting on the boy to be his replacement.

_And I suppose he's my replacement?_

An empty drawl by him, glancing down at the pale skinned boy, his expression flat and smooth as his hair; black ash and completely neutral, devoid.

_What kind of Hokage I would be if I can't even save a single friend? Can you tell me that?_

His blonde sky eyed friend. Not even looking at him or merely bats an eye in his direction. He is staring above at something, but answering his question from earlier. Something about their dreams. The man's arm is draped around his friend's shoulder.

_You're only alive and the only reason why was because I spared you on a whim that day._

A threat by him earlier as he stands on a vantage point from above, looking down at his former friends. Their fight from many years earlier. Thunderclouds booming. A storm. Hair and clothes drenched entirely. He is staring at the unconscious form of his blonde friend. Regret. So much regret.

He pushes the thought aside, burying the regret into nothing but the recesses and grinding it into dust. There was nothing for him to regret if there was no way to take it all back and the event of it already entirely happened. The guilt and regret ebbs away, leaving a bitter feeling that doesn't last long either.

He focuses on the task on hand.

Within minutes, he began to pack up, and within minutes, all traces of his camp area were gone, save for the fire he made the day before, which were nothing more than burnt twigs, remnants of bits and ashes. He would hunt for breakfast, but not before he made his way down first. He wanted to travel his way down the path before he hunted for food.


	2. Chapter 2

**In order to save something dear… wars are waged. As long as there is love, there would be hate.**

**-Minato Namikaze**

* * *

Kakashi Hatake.

If a person, any person, were to hear that name now, they would immediately answer with a knowledgeable answer or an unknown one. But by how widely known the name was, it was impossible for the latter to ever happen. All around the Leaf Village and even outside, the name was recognized all over. For how popular the name was tacked onto it was titles; popularity merited such recognition all over.

The Copy Ninja. Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye. Both granted to him after the former, which Kakashi was given by the jutsus he copied within the course of his lifetime serving in the ANBU in the Third War. ANBU were elite group of ninjas, or task force, under the orders of the Hokage, the leader of the village. Unlike regular ninjas, who worked their way up to ranks and certain missions, ranked and assigned to them, the ANBU specifically were assigned S ranked missions; missions of the highest caliber and difficulty. Only a few select few ninjas ever were ANBU, and Kakashi was both lucky and skilled enough just to be in the force.

The latter of the title, was given to him by his Sharingan Eye, embedded in his left eye. The Sharingan was considered to be one of the Three Dojutsu and with its appearance being well known. Consisting of a blood red with black comma like markings spiraling around the ocean of red, the dojutsu, when activated, granted the user enhanced perception and the ability to read and copy movements and jutsu. The latter title gave to him then to his former. The Sharingan Eye and its prowess was limited only to the Uchiha Clan of Konoha, and as it was also known by a select few of Kakashi's closest confidants, as Kakashi himself did not want to divulge the information to any more people than his friends, Kakashi was given the Sharingan Eye by his teammate Obito Uchiha, one of the few members of the prestigious clan, after in a mission gone awry after another teammate of theirs, Rin Nohara, had been captured by enemy forces. However, later in what would be known as the Fourth Ninja War, Kakashi would lose this eye.

For the time now, after the Fourth War, after the bloodshed that came and past, Kakashi was given a new title that quickly gained recognition just as soon it was announced.

Sixth Hokage.

Kakashi himself didn't expect the role and the title coming with. When he returned, at first, he imagined himself to just retire from the ninja service altogether. After service in over the ANBU and fighting in both Third and Fourth wars, they had taken a toll on the man. He had seen enough fighting. He had seen enough comrades and enemies die. A bevy of missions he had completed over his service and he did not want to do any more.

Then, just a meager one month had passed, Kakashi was given the title of Sixth Hokage by Tsunade.

Kakashi questioned the decision of Tsunade. He had asked the former Hokage what made her choose him to be her successor. Tsunade had been the Fifth for over years and hearing her handing the role to him was completely unexpected, not to mention questionable. Tsunade herself was also still fit to lead the village for years to come, thereby negating the point of succession. He stated that it was too early to announce her successor.

Her answer was simple, Kakashi had remembered. He had the qualities of the Hokage. He had fought for the village long enough and embodied the Will of Fire. The Will of Fire was her grandfather's belief that love was the key to peace, and for each Leaf Shinobi to fight, cherish, and protect the village as long as they breathed. Kakashi had the prerequisites and all the makings for one.

It was too late to deny. Tsunade had slammed the successorship paper in front of him at the Hokage-his desk-that day on his coronation. He didn't think he could deny the title. She would not take no for an answer and he knew.

So with resignation, he accepted the role as the Sixth Hokage.

Pretty ironic. Again, the man thought himself far from being Hokage. Naruto's dream was to be Hokage; his former blonde student had claimed he would be the leader of the village. His sensei was Hokage; the Fourth Hokage, after the Third Hokage suggested him for a vote to be his successor. Even Kushina, his sensei's wife, had her aspiration to become Hokage, from what his sensei told him.

The title of Hokage was not easy, Kakashi knew. The job and title of it came with work and crucial work to be done. Every individual in the village looked up to you, because you were the person leading them. Ninjas and civilians alike. With the title came the most important task of it all:

Paperwork.

Kakashi knew for all his talents. For all his experience on the battlefield as a ninja. For his prodigious achievement obtaining the rank of Jonin at a young age, and for his scores of success as an ANBU member, never did he think that there was a foe he could not beat.

Except this one.

His black eyes narrowed down at his foe in distaste. His foe did not stare back, for it had no eyes of any sort. It was not blind, because his foe was not organic or living. It was genderless and devoid of life.

Kakashi was not studying his opponent; there was no need to, for if he did then it would be a waste of time. He knew everything and more about his opponent. He knew it well enough. His foe had lines of text down and down. Deadly. It was deadly.

This was paperwork in its given form.

Kakashi had battled many foes. This was something he could beat. But it was a tough one. An opponent that had no knowledge about him, yet it was deadly and infamous all the same. He had the advantage of every bit of knowledge of his foe, but it was still not to be underestimated. He proceeded with swift efficiency and caution, befitting of his former ANBU training.

Lidded coal intently stared at the sheet in front of him, narrowing as his brows furrowed downward slanted. His hands clenched into fists, burning white from the knuckles hidden entirely by his gloves.

He was ready.

The foe in front of him was unaware of the man's intentions, lying on its backside. The two were not hidden from each other and were in plain sight. The words scrawled met Kakashi's eyes in a battle of wills. Kakashi tentatively raised his right hand up, the left still gripped into a fist underneath, and positioned his pointer and middle finger up, the rest were buried, tucked into his palm, and his thumb curved over. From the folds of his sleeves, he produced a pencil, the tip sharp, holding the object with his thumb. This was a sign for shinobi combat. Considered universal, it was an indication of ready combat. His opponent gave no sign back, for it had no limbs. It always seemed to be ready.

Then, just as Kakashi was about to lash out, just as Kakashi was poised to strike, he released a sigh.

His bated breath came out in a sharp exhale through the mask he wore, obscuring over a large portion of his face from nose down. His right hand dropped down in defeat.

He couldn't beat it. No Hokage could beat it. Not even the First. Not even the Second. Not even his sensei, the Fourth.

This he realized, was also another reason why Tsunade handed the role of Hokage to him. She couldn't handle the demand for paperwork, or she was so lazy that she turned the role over to him.

**Damn it.**

Turning away from his victorious opponent and accepting the lost, he opened the desk drawer beneath the top of his desk, bringing out the small orange book that brought him comfort. Make Out Tactics. He could never get old of Jiraiya's famous series. Flipping to a random page, he idly begins to read, draining time away with his hobby. He only manages to succeed to read a page, before there is a sound of an object hitting the floor.

Looking down, Kakashi turns away from his precious book to see the picture of Team 7 on the floor. His feet were on the desk's edge, and Kakashi realized that he kicked the photo down.

Setting aside his book on top of the paperwork and leaning down to pick the photo, held by the wooden frame, up, he looks at the photo's contents. There was him on the top, both his hands were on a blonde and black haired boy. Naruto and Sasuke respectively. The two were glaring away from each other, looking opposite ways, Naruto's lips turned up into a vicious scowl. Below them and in between was a pink haired girl, smiling in the photo. Sakura.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile, the expression hidden underneath his mask. His team. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. His students as well.

As his eyes rolled over to Naruto, he couldn't help but reminisce of the blonde boy's dream. The sight of him on the photo brought back many memories of the past, to where they had first assembled and introduced themselves.

" _I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My favorite things to do are playing pranks. I like ramen, all kinds! What I especially love is when Iruka-Sensei takes me out for some at Ichiraku! My dislikes are waiting for instant ramen to cook because it's not instant then if I have to wait five minutes! My dream… my dream is to become Hokage so that everybody in the village will finally acknowledge my existence!"_

Naruto did. The village-no, not just the village. All **five** villages saw him as a hero. People of all over the Land of Fire had come just to visit the man who was the central figure in the Fourth War. Naruto had become a legend in the eyes of the entire village. Defeating Pain had gained the acknowledgment he wanted. Saving the entire world, breaking free of the Infinite Tsukuyomi cemented his status. And lastly, the word of Naruto's parents, mainly his father, added to his reputation. Though Naruto wanted to keep his heritage tight knit as possible, it, unfortunately, was unavoidable, given that Naruto himself confirmed that the Fourth was his father when the revived leader had joined the battlefield. Many ninjas looked at the blonde Hokage to the blonde boy; the resemblance was uncanny. Kakashi was sure that Naruto had regrets confirming his heritage, but it was too late. The blonde had pulled himself into the pit of a celebrity status all over the Land of Fire and beyond. His mistake had brought him more attention if the former two weren't already giving him enough.

Kakashi was slightly worried that Naruto's reputable status might target enemies; rogue ninjas or any of the sort, after the blonde, but he dismissed it. Naruto was strong enough, and he had his friends with him. He would be fine.

He would become a great Hokage, Kakashi was certain. Unfortunately not as of now. The blonde was still a Genin; the lowest of the ninja rank. Past events had never allowed the blonde to move up in rank despite his considerable strength. As of now, Kakashi was undoubtedly certain the blonde was working up to the next rank, Chunin. And then Jonin.

When Kakashi was well over past the role and fulfilled his duty as the Sixth, he would turn it over to his blonde student. That, he promised.

Looking down to the sole and only female member of the team, Kakashi looked at the girl's smiling face; young and pure. Sakura.

Sakura came from a civilian family, having no ninja parents holding a reputation. Yet despite this, she blossomed and grew, having trained under Tsunade, one of the three legendary Sannin and the best medical ninja in the village. Now she surpassed her, holding the title of the best within the Leaf. Tsunade was proud of her.

Her dream was as clear as day, he remembered.

" _My name is Sakura Haruno. My likes are…" The pink haired girl shoots an emerald glance at the black haired boy sitting to her right, before turning it down to her feet._

" _Your dislikes?" He asked._

" _Naruto!"_

Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the blonde boy's reaction to Sakura's dislikes.

_Continuing where she had left off, she states, "My dreams for the future are…" The girl purposely cuts herself off, unlike her trailed off first answer. The young pink haired girl shoots glances at the black haired boy, her face growing red, before she attempts to bury her face into her arms._

Sakura had blossomed as her name. She truly held the title of the best medical ninja. A well deserved title. She had the medical ninjutsu to back it up for nonbelievers or any who doubted. Her title as a medical ninja also however led her to the hospitals. Work needed to be done for all those injured; either from simple jobs such as construction or even a ninja returning from his or her mission.

Kakashi turned his gaze to his final student. The black haired boy. Sasuke.

" _My name is Sasuke Uchiha. There aren't particularly many things I like. Except tomatoes. My dislikes are aren't much either. My dream for the future are…" The boy momentarily pauses, before looking up with eyes that held everything including anger. "No, it's not a dream. I will make it a reality. I will avenge and revive my clan and_ _ **kill**_ _the man responsible."_

Kakashi could not smile at Sasuke's dream now. He could not. Revenge. He didn't smile back then, only looking at the boy with understanding and a slow nod. Sasuke's dream. It started with hate and anger and led to even more hate and anger. The boy became consumed wholly by it, drowning further and further.

" _Sasuke… I've said this once before and I'm going to only say this once and once again: Don't become consumed by vengeance!"_

_The black haired boy smirks at his teacher's response, before his callous smile dips into a scowl. "And I'm going to only say this once. Stop talking like you're still my teacher!"_

" _Please Sasuke. Revenge can't be the only thing you only care about now. Look deep inside yourself. Try to look deep in you and you-"_

" _Still reciting the same spiel?" The boy sneers, but Kakashi continues as if he didn't interrupt._

" _You'll see that there is more." He finishes, watching intently._

_Sasuke stares his moon dark eyes into Kakashi, piercing him with a narrowed gaze. The man did not know what his student was thinking, with his gaze onto him. Perhaps his student was considering his words?_

_Then, Sasuke begins to laugh. The boy is laughing and he doesn't stop. Tremors racked the boy's body at his laughter. The boy laughs and laughs at his former teacher's words, ringing out for the moment, before the boy once again fixes Kakashi with a narrowed gaze._

" _My mother… my father… Itachi… Bring them_ _ **back!**_ _Bring all of them_ _ **back**_ _!" He shouts. "Bring them back and I'll stop! I'll stop right now and return to the Leaf!"_

" _I told you Sasuke-"_

" _And I told you, Kakashi. In fact, if you want to be the first, then fine. I'm just itching to kill you!"_

_**Hatred… He's so consumed by hatred and darkness he's barely even recognizable anymore...** _

" _Oh, and I thought you would like to know… before you Leaf Ninja came, I killed one of the elders of the Leaf responsible! You know him well enough."_

_Kakashi didn't even need a few seconds to know who Sasuke was referring to. His eyes widen in horror. Besides him, he can barely hear Sakura gasp._

_**He-he killed Danzo?!** _

_The man didn't even need to glance at his female student that she too was thinking the same. It would be a needless gesture; her gasp showed enough._

_The boy's grin grows wide at his horrific actions perpetrated. "I feel like I'm finally purging and_ _ **cleansing**_ _the Uchiha name! Starting with Danzo and then those others responsible! And then finally the entire village itself!"_

" _You always repudiated the Uchiha! So fine, I'll help_ _ **erase**_ _the Uchiha from your memories! It will begin and end with the_ _ **destruction**_ _of the Leaf! That, in turn, shall lead to the clan's true_ _ **restoration**_ _!"_

What Sasuke has said back then. Kakashi remembered those words as clear as he remembered Naruto's dream. It clung onto him like a leech. Unwanted, as dark and very bitter.

Revenge. Revenge drove the boy. It was his drive. From the time back then since his dream and then against their home village.

Revenge was what had led them up to this moment.

Sasuke had turned into a criminal. If Naruto's and Sakura's status were famous, then Sasuke's was the opposite: infamous. His infamy spread all over the Land of Fire. With his black-haired former student's status also came claims and rumors: he was a psychopath, he was a rapist, he tortured and experimented on people just as Orochimaru did. It just made people believe the report, and further cemented their belief that the Uchiha should have been imprisoned or executed.

Kakashi knew those claims were nothing more than concocted conceptions; made up by individuals who wanted nothing more than the Uchiha to suffer, for they despised the boy for his actions. Naruto and Sakura vehemently denied the claims, as they were former teammates of him. The day they lashed out was something he could only understand. He had never seen such a volatile reaction from them before. But they were understandably furious. Sasuke had killed people, yes. He had done terrible things, yes.

But he wasn't that low. He wasn't the person they conceived him to be. The fact that these rumors were designed to draw and paint the Uchiha further into a despicable man. Their hatred and anger for the man were blinding them, but in cases most certainly reasonable for what information was provided. Though those ignorant could not tell from fact to fiction.

Kakashi himself was livid. But he chose to rein in his temper, to not show it. A lifetime of Shinobi-and status as ANBU-training gave his mask and tone nothing but a neutral and indifference, gave him more control than both Naruto and Sakura.

With a sigh, the man sets the frame back onto his desk stand. Abandoning the paperwork, his orange book, and the desk both objects sat on for the time being, and for the fact that staring at the picture of his students, especially Sasuke, would bring back more unpleasant memories, the man takes a few steps up to the bookshelf sitting at the side of the wall in his office. The vast rainbow collection of the spines met Kakashi's lazy gaze.

Kakashi didn't have any single intent to read the books in the bookshelf, nor did he care for the contents within. Merely, he was just busy glancing at them to pass the time. Completion of paperwork was far from what the man wanted to do as of the moment, and though the small Make Out Tactics book sound tantalizing to go back into; was tempting, the picture of Team 7, his team, brought back unwanted memories, even if they all stemmed from Sasuke; the cause and origin.

If Kakashi went to retrieve his book, then he was afraid he would see the dark haired boy's photo, bringing up the wellspring from the murky depths within his head, and see Sasuke's descent; his memories of the fallen boy, and his failures.

He could not deal with that. Two happy memories were not worth it if one of them were dark hate.

"Lord Hokage?"

Kakashi whipped his head around, turning to see a white mask, intricate marks painted onto it. He knew this person. One of the ANBU ever since Tsunade and still working under him after his coronation. "Dog! What brings you here?"

The man under the mask dips his head down. "Crucial information sir. This information requires your attention… if you're not busy, sir."

Even if the mask obscured his entire face, Kakashi knew Dog was referring to his paperwork, as the man tilted his head to the sheet on the desk, but that could wait. Paperwork could always wait. "Very well. Explain."

The man nods, "This information is regarding two of the village's ninjas ever since. In fact, the latter of which is connected. I believe that your former student, Naruto Uzumaki, has also information regarding this, due to the latter connection."

"With who two ninjas are you referring to?"

The man paused, "Shisui Uchiha of the Body Flicker and Jiraiya of the Sannin."

This caught Kakashi's full attention. He himself barely knew Shisui, only having met on a couple of occasions, but he heard stories of the man and from what he heard, the man was powerful, talented, and largely respected by the entire village. He was also one of the members of the clan and possessing the famed Sharingan like many others.

Even after the Uchiha clan was considered by most be utterly resented because of both Itachi and then the last Uchiha, Sasuke, there was one Uchiha nearly all the village had respect and admiration for, and that was Shisui. The man, unfortunately, had his life cut short when he committed suicide; a suicide note in his handwriting was proof. Though Kakashi suspected that there was more to the incident than meets the eye.

He knew Jiraiya however. Not only the man was the author of his book, but also a powerful ninja in his own right. Holding one of the titles of the Three Legendary Sannin, the man was also Naruto's teacher. If the information regarded Jiraiya, then it included Naruto too, for he was connected in this, not just by the word of his ANBU but also the relationship between the master and the student.

"Continue." He acquiesced with a nod.

"Regarding the journal of Shisui Uchiha and Jiraiya of the Sannin. The former was retrieved from the Uchiha compound, inside the home of Shisui, after abandonment by Sasuke Uchiha. The latter of which was found by a hidden vault.

Kakashi blinks in surprise. Journal? And the latter in the vault? Kakashi thought soon after the Sannin's death that the entire ANBU dug up every hidden information and collection of items to give to Naruto. After all, he was the Sannin's student. Apparently, if only now was this information was discovered, then Jiraiya wanted this to be kept a secret. But why?

"What does the information contain for both journals?"

With a breath, the man says, "Information regarding both ninjas travels to the country Ylisse. Far from the Land of Fire."

"Ylisse?" Where has he heard the word before…? He knew it was a place. He knew it well enough as it was discussed in the past by him with a few others. His eyes slowly began to rise in realization, as the bits and pieces from his recesses are snatched up and pulled entirely out, reviving them.

_That's the place where… didn't Jiraiya mention to me that he visited Ylisse once with Lord Third, Tsunade, and Orochimaru when the three were younger under Lord Third's tutelage? Didn't… Yes… Naruto told me he went to Ylisse with Lord Jiraiya during the time the years away from the Leaf during their training trip. From what Naruto said…_

Kakashi delves into his memory.

" _Oh yeah, I also visited a kingdom called Ylisse! Me and Pervy Sage went to it during our training!" Naruto exuberantly shouts, recounting one of his travels._

" _Ylisse? Where is that?" Sakura asked. "I don't think that's anywhere near the Land of Fire or any of the other nations."_

" _That's because it isn't." A deep voice rang out._

_Both Naruto and Sakura turned to see a man with long white hair tied into a ponytail._

" _Pervy Sage!" The former shouts. "What took you so long?"_

_Jiraiya shoots an irritated look at his student for the name but looks back to the pink haired girl. "Had to just finish talking with Tsunade. Now… what's this you asked about Ylisse?"_

_Sakura repeats her question. "I don't think I ever heard of a place such as that. It's not anywhere near the Land of Fire or the other four villages. You've been there, Master Jiraiya. Where is it exactly?"_

_The toad sage nods his head. "You're right. It isn't anywhere near the Land of Fire. In fact, its past that and beyond."_

" _What do you mean by that?" Curiosity gets the better of her. "Do you know, Naruto?"_

_Naruto's shrug was her only answer. "Percy Sage said that the country was allied with the Leaf ever since the First Hokage came and visited it! He also said he visited with Old Man Third with Granny Tsunade and Orochimaru many years back when the Old Man was their teacher."_

_Sakura looked at the Toad Sage in wonderment, surprise, and curiosity. "Is there more to it?"_

_Jiraiya nodded and Naruto answered. "Oh yeah! Pervy Sage also said that the country was in a continent called Valm. It also had dragons… Man-something! and the country worshipped the dragons like a religion."_

_Sakura nearly choked. "Stop lying!_ _**Dragons** _ _? Like in those myths and stories? Those creatures?! You must be joking!" She couldn't fathom a country where it had the mythical creatures. In the Land of Fire, dragons were considered nothing but myths and stories to children. Her mother had told her a tale of one when she was little for a bedtime story, and that was proof that they didn't exist in a single bit._

" _Nope!"_

_Jiraiya lets a chuckle lose on his lips and shook his head. "_ _**Mana** _ _ketes, Naruto. And to answer your question Sakura. Yes. Dragons do exist."_

_Sakura gaped. "How is that possible? And wait, are these Manaketes and dragons related?"_

_The man rubs his chin; a philosophical look in his eyes; a sparkling green in them. "Well, I suppose I can tell you. Pull up a chair." Both teammates did, as they glanced up at the Sage. "This is what the Old Man has told me and Tsunade the first time we visited it."_

" _And Sakura?" She nods. "If you are still confused, then go to Tsunade. She might fill out the information I do not recall."_

_At another nod, the man begins his tale. "Well, where to begin… Ah! Here we go! Centuries ago, when the continent of Ylisse was formed, the First Hokage entered the continent. In what the Old Man had told me when he was told of the First Hokage's visit, he said it was a **different realm.** "_

_As Jiraiya eagerly relays his story to them, the three were unknown to the figure watching them from afar, hidden in a large group of trees._

Yes. He was watching the three chat and talk of Naruto's travels. Sakura was still ecstatic to have her blonde teammate back, and she demanded, asking for the many places he had visited over his training trip. Kakashi himself was curious too, wondering what one of the many places and people Naruto had met. But he didn't want to announce himself or be seen by his students or the Sannin, for they had a mission, which would force Jiraiya to stop talking.

"Lord Hokage? Lord Hokage!"

Kakashi snapped himself out of his thoughts. "Oh, yes! You were saying?"

The man nods, "As I was saying, I think you might want to see this." The man holds out a parchment paper.

Kakashi takes the proffered piece and scans the contents. His eyes widen. "This letter… it's directed to Naruto and Lord Jiraiya! By the prince of…"

"Yes, sir. The letter was directed to both Lord Jiraiya and Naruto Uzumaki. As far as I know, this was a request for the two to come to the land to help assist in the war between itself and Plegia."

As Kakashi takes in the information, basking in them, he looks up and asks, "When was this sent?"

"An estimation, sir, would likely be over months back."

Months back… Naruto would never have known of the letter. He went away to Cloud to master the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra, in addition to his training to find his chakra nature… Lord Jiraiya died, so he couldn't deliver the request. Completely unaware of the directed request in the letter.

And war. No matter which country or kingdom or even village, there always seemed to be war. It only begged the question, one that had Kakashi slightly worried for its long time yet tight kept ally.

Was the kingdom in danger?

Kakashi looked down back into the contents.

_Naruto, Lord Jiraiya_

_If you are receiving this letter, it has been years since we last met. How are you doing? I hope that you are doing well. My sister, Lissa, and my retainer, Frederick, both say hi._

_Unfortunately, as much as I would like this letter to be nothing but a chat between friends, it is not._

_I have come with a request for assistance from my home of Ylisse to Konoha. There is a war that is breaking out between my homeland and the country of Plegia. As much as I would love to meet you again, and I'm sure Lissa and Frederick too, especially Lissa, and many other of my friends, unfortunately, I understand if you do not have the available time. In that case, please send this letter to the Hokage and Ylisse's request for a force to be sent to the country._

_Chrom, leader of the Shepherds and Prince of Ylisse_

Kakashi stared at the name and contents with a blank expression. Then, after a moment's pass, he looks up.

"Go retrieve Naruto. Tell him to come to my office. I need to ask him a few questions."


End file.
